Matsuyama Castle (Gunma)

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Matsuyamagunma12.jpg

History

Matsuyama Castle was built by Ueda Shinzen, who was allied with the Hojo to set up a base for attacking into the Agatsuma area including Iwabitsu Castle. The castle was called Matsuyama Castle after Ueda's home castle of Matsuyama in Saitama. Takatome Castle behind it on the mountain may have been used as a fallback position if needed, but the lower elevation of Matsuyama Castle was more conducive to controlling the highway leading to Nagano.

Another recent theory states that given the shallow depth of the trenches, Matsuyama Castle was actually older than Takatome Castle. It may have been the original home of the Nagano before they built Takatome Castle, making Matsuyama Castle an extended fortification of Takatome Castle too. Regardless, the Ueda also fortified Matsuyama Castle.


Visit Notes

See Takatome Castle for more details about how to get here. It's a small castle ruin but it's a must see if you're going to visit Takatome Castle anyway. The history is somewhat conflicting, but if you visit the site it's very easy to see that even if it wasn't officially a castle before the building of Takatome Castle, there was likely some kind of fortification here at the entrance to Takatome Castle. There are no signs on the site that talk about the castle, but the book 境目の城と館(上野編) has a good map.
鷹留城へ行ったついでに松山城にも寄りましょう。遺構は少ないけれどわかりやすい構造の小規模の城跡です。ここも地図と説明板はないけれど境目の城と館(上野編) にはいい地図が載っています。


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Gallery
  • Looking up to the main bailey and second bailey form the side obikuruwa bailey
  • Main Bailey
  • Second Bailey and Horikiri Trench
  • Looking to the Main Bailey from the Second Bailey
  • Obikuruwa bailey
  • Obikuruwa Bailey
  • Obikuruwa Bailey
  • Obikuruwa Bailey
  • Main Bailey
  • Second Bailey and horikiri trench
  • Obikuruwa, side bailey, on the north side
  • Looking out from the Second Bailey


Castle Profile
English Name Matsuyama Castle (Gunma)
Japanese Name 松山城(群馬)
Alternate Names Konpirayama-jo
Founder Ueda Shinzen
Year Founded 1582
Castle Type Mountaintop
Castle Condition Ruins only
Designations Local Historic Site
Historical Period Pre Edo Period
Features trenches
Visitor Information
Access Takasaki Sta. (Takasaki Line), 30 min bus for Haruna get off at Shimomuroda Shogakkoumae, 15 min walk to the Otemon trail
Visitor Information Temple and park, open anytime
Time Required 20 mins
Website http://www.city.takasaki.gunma.jp/docs/2013121701112/
Location Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture
Coordinates 36° 23' 17.12" N, 138° 53' 6.47" E
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Admin
Added to Jcastle 2017
Admin Year Visited 2017
Admin Visits November 24, 2017


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